We would like to invite you to the next presentation in our series of free CIDER sessions. Our next session features a group presentation and discussion with Dr. Elizabeth Murphy (Principal Investigator), Camilla Stoodley (Project Manager), Paula Thomas (Teacher), and Kate Scarth (Research Assistant).
Title: Designing online synchronous communication to strengthen students’ second-language communication skills
This presentation reviews a two-year study focused on strengthening students’ second language communication skills. The study aimed to identify teacher practices and student activities most effective for and best suited to promoting negotiation of meaning, as well as to determine the related benefits, challenges, and solutions of implementing the practices and activities. The study also examined the viability of the practices and activities in terms of sustainability and scalability.
Methods included use of Elluminate Live to support online communication, which typically occurred between two groups of four students at one time. Teachers also participated in face-to-face meetings, discussion forums in WebCT and Desire2Learn, and individual reflection in a blog and pbwiki. A web site featured training modules for students. Semi-structured observation and analysis of E-Live sessions, as well as interviews with participants, and analysis of discussion forums and individual reflections were conducted. Preliminary findings for the first year were categorized as technical, logistical, or pedagogical; for year two, challenges and factors conducive to sustainability and scalability were identified.
When: Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 11am-12pm MDT (Edmonton)
Where: Online via Elluminate at:
https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?password=M.8B71B60F2931D029AC3837DC06B70D
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